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1 t e. e h S S t e e h S 2 T Y O H J F a U 0 M O W SLIDING RAILROAD FROG.

No. 402,830. Patented May 7, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2. Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. J. HOYT.

SLIDING RAILROAD FROG.

No. 402,830. Patented May '7, 1 889..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED J. I-IOYT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE HOYT FROG AND CROSSING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SLIDING RAILROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,830, dated May 7, 1889. Application filed July 81, 1888. Serial No, 281,528. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED J. IIOYT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sliding Railroad-Frogs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railroad-frogs, and particularly tothat class of frogs placed at the crossings of main and side tracks, and wherein the inner rail of the side track crosses or passes through the outer rail of the main track. At such points, with the frogs now generally in use, an open joint is formed between the inner rail of the side track and the adjoining rail of the main track, and with such frogs guard-rails are necessary to prevent the car-wheels from jumping the track, by reason of lateral pressure or other cause, at such points, an event of very frequent occurrence.

The object of my invention is to furnish at the point mentioned a solid unbroken rail for either the main or the side track when the switch is thrown either way and to dispense entirely with guard-rails.

0 My invention consists of a sliding frog actuated and controlled positively by the move ment of the switch-rails and constructed and operated as hereinafter described and claimed.

It is illustrated in the accompanying draw- 3 5 ings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are plan views, andFig. 3 a detail in longitudinal section; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, details.

Referring to the drawings, A A are the rails of a main track, and B B the rails of a branch or side track. 0 O are the switch-rails on main track, and D a switch-stand. At the point of crossing of the main and side tracks is a plate, E, preferably steel, having on its 5 upper face and across its center a straight piece of rail F, and connected thereto at one end, and then extending at an angle therewith is a rail section, G. Both of these sections are beveled at their ends. The plate E,

with the rail-sections F G, constitutes the sliding frog, as shown. The straightrail-sec= tion F is adapted to engage with the inner main-track rail, and the angle-section G to engage with the inner side-track rail, and the ends of the main and side rails are beveled in opposite directions to engage with the beveled ends of the plate-sections at the flaring end of the fro -sections F G. This plate may be of any desired dimensions; but a convenient. size is three inches thick with a face 12 by 15.

H is an iron or steel case or box, in which the plate G is held and slid, and is grooved at c' at both ends to receive the tongues l of the plate G. Two ties are cut away to receive the bottom of the box and to place the box deep enough to allow the section-rails to be on a level with the main and side rails, and the box is also provided with flanges m, by which it is secured at its opposite ends to two other ties. The ends of the plate E and its tongue are provided with friction-rollers 0, which engage with the corresponding ends of the box when the plate is slid.

The plate E is slid back and forward by the following means: The switch-stand D, 7 5 Fig. 1, connects with the switch-rails C. R is a rod connected to the switch-stand at one end and to a small turn-plate, S, at the opposite end; '1, a jointed rod passing through a bearing, 1?, connecting said turn-plate and the sliding plate E. Stops if t are secured to the ends of the cut-away ties 25 to limit the movement of the frog. This movement is also limited by the beveled ends of the railsectionsF G coming in contact with the ends of the main and branch rails. The upper surface of the box H is provided with corrugations P, on which the plate E slides, and the purpose of these corrugations is to de crease the amount of frictional surface on which the frog slides and also to carry away water from around the frog. These corrugations are deeper at their outer ends, and increase in shallowness toward the center of the box, until at the center they cease, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In operation, when the switch is set to the main track, the frog at the same time is set on its ways, so that the main-rail section F rests at each end against each end of the con- I00 nectin g main rail. When the switch is turned to the side track, the frog is slid by the same movement until the angle-section G is in direct line with the side rail, thus making a continuous side track. The first position is shown in Fig. 1, the second in Fig. 2. The side stops, t t, and the beveled ends of the sections F and G coming against the ends of the main and side rails, hold the rails rigidly against side thrusts, thus dispensing entirely with guard-rails. The construction of the ends of the rails, as thus described, also forms a continuous oblique joint, which avoids all jarring and strain usual at these points.

In Fig. 2 a modification of the switch-operating mechanism is shown. Instead of the switch-rod shown in Fig. 1 a drop switchstand, W, is employed and instead of the rod a cable, w, is used on each side of the track, each cable being connected at one end to a switch-rail, C, passing over pulleys 10 103, and connected at the other end to the middle of the sliding plate E.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with the rails of a main and side track, a sliding frog consisting of a tongued plate provided with a main and a side rail section, the ends of said sections beveled to form an oblique joint with the rails, a case to hold said plate having grooves and flanges, friction-rollers between said plate and case, and a switch mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The tongued plate provided with the main and side rail sections and friction-rollers, in combination with the case to hold the said plate, and provided with the flanges and grooves,'substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The tongued plate provided with the rail-sections and friction-rollers, in combination with the grooved case provided with corrugations, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED J. HOYT.

Witnesses:

A. H. CHANDLER, H. H. DE GROFFT. 

